Next Steps

MONDAY, DECEMBER 12 - WE ARE ALL WITNESSES

by Eric Jessen

He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. (John 1:8)

A few years ago, the Cleveland Caviliers (a basketball team in the NBA) made the playoffs for the first time in probably a few decades thanks to the efforts of their star player, LeBron James. Their owner printed tens of thousands of t-shirts and handed them out to everyone who came to each of their home playoff games that simply said, "We Are All Witnesses." All who were in attendance to see the games played, so the shirt claimed, were witnesses to the first playoff efforts of their superstar and would later be able to give account to all his success. The Cavs didn't win it all that year, but I digress.

When Dallas read John 1 in his sermon, I flashed back to this event. Those in the stands were not able to win the game; only LeBron James could do that. John the Baptist was not the one able to win the world; only Jesus could do that. Like John, we are all witnesses. Sometimes it's important for us to remember we are witnesses…not players. We sometimes think that the outcome of the game is dependent on our own efforts or on our ability to score the winning basket. Thankfully, we are not. Jesus has accomplished this already.

But as witnesses to Jesus, we bear a crucial difference to those who watched a basketball game. "[John] came as a witness to testify concerning that light so that through him everyone would believe" (John 1:7). We bear the responsibility of testifying in our actions, words, and lifestyle to the Foundation of Existence…the Source of Creation…the Giver of Life...the Illumination of Humanity...the Justification of Sin. Being a witness to Jesus isn't a passive, observational activity like it is in a basketball game. It's an all-in, life-consuming, trajectory-changing calling. We are all witnesses. Now...how shall we testify?